Advanced Research on Bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso & Poiteau)

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Economics, Policies and Rural Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2023) | Viewed by 4329

Special Issue Editors

Department of Agriculture, University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Interests: food and forestry economics; ecosystem services; rural development; agricultural economics and policy; farm management
Department of Agriculture, University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Interests: consumer preferences; social agriculture; food geography; small coastal fisheries; multicriteria analysis
Department of Agriculture, University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Interests: agrifood economics; consumer habits; food markets; sustainability; foods; behavioral sciences; circular economy
Department of Agriculture, University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Interests: citrus fruit; citrus juice; essential oil; functional food; olive oil; seed oil; small fruits; tomato by-product; bakery product
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Changes in society are also reflected in the strategies of companies whose markets are increasingly large, competitive and global, and the skills and abilities in demand ever greater. In this context, companies in the agro-industrial and agri-food chains face increasingly broad and complex challenges. The proposed Special Issue is an opportunity to shed light on the bergamot supply chain (Citrus bergamia Risso & Poiteau); bergamot is a citrus fruit whose production of essential oil has nourished and nourishes the finest international perfumery. In recent decades, the historical use of the product for the production of essence has been accompanied by other applications, such as its use in food production, crafts, pharmacology and nutraceuticals. These solutions are often very interesting because they offer novelty and opportunities for experimentation, and for positive feedback from consumers. Furthermore, what remains of the fruit after it has been used for the extraction of the essence, both fresh and dried, can be used for other uses; this is the case of livestock feed, with positive repercussions for both the quality of the meat obtained and the cost of breeding. This by-product constitutes a tangible example of a circular economy, where waste becomes a useful resource in perfect harmony with the concepts of multifunctionality, sustainability and circularity—requisites that are increasingly essential today in the economies and activities of territories worldwide. Furthermore, the recent events related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the latest ones that culminated with international geopolitical tensions have highlighted the need to strengthen existing local supply chains and pursue innovations for efficient uses with low environmental impact. Bergamot is present in some areas of Africa, such as the Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon and Guinea; in South America, such as Argentina and Brazil; and in Europe, where it is mainly present in the south of the Italian peninsula. In the latter area it assumes particular importance and over the decades techniques for the production and processing of the fruit have been improved and developed. Bergamot is used for the extraction of essential oil (from flavedo), the extraction of juice (from the pulp), the processing of the pulp, the production of antioxidants and pectin, and the feeding of animals. Other aerial parts of the plant, such as flowers and leaves, can also be used for essential oil extraction. Digestate and biogas can be obtained from the anaerobic digestion of production waste. Furthermore, even landscapes are shaped by the presence of bergamot cultivation. These plots, created and transformed by agricultural activities, have environmental and landscape value in addition to their economic and social values, and give environments identity and strong connotations deserving of attention, defense and enhancement. This Special Issue entitled "Advanced Research on Bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso & Poiteau)", aims to stimulate the debate on a range of scientific issues various titles, linked by the common thread of bergamot and the sustainability of its supply chain. The themes therefore include the agronomic, genetic, physicochemical, sensorial, productive, botanical, entomological, microbiological, pathogenic, technological (Agriculture 4.0), political, economic and market aspects from a supply chain perspective, and in terms of the environmental, productive, social and economic sustainability of the product. We invite the contribution of original and high-quality research and review papers on experimental and theoretical works. We will accept documents which concern and are inspired by the aforementioned themes, and which fall within the broad theme of the study of the bergamot supply chain, even if not expressly indicated.

Dr. Donatella Di Gregorio
Prof. Dr. Agata Nicolosi
Dr. Valentina Rosa Laganà
Dr. Angelo Maria Giuffrè
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Citrus bergamia Risso & Poiteau
  • supply chain sustainability
  • competitiveness
  • efficiency
  • local and international markets
  • business strategies
  • consumption preferences
  • innovation
  • multifunctionality
  • circular economy
  • healthy food
  • nutraceuticals
  • agri-food industry
  • cultivation
  • defense
  • utilization
  • marketing
  • citrus landscape
  • recovery value
  • reuse
  • no waste
  • feeding of animals
  • machinery
  • bergamot by-products
  • functional foods
  • physical-chemical-microbiological analysis

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2816 KiB  
Article
Recovery of Bioactive Compounds from Calabrian Bergamot Citrus Waste: Selection of Best Green Extraction
by Antonio Gattuso, Amalia Piscopo, Rosa Romeo, Alessandra De Bruno and Marco Poiana
Agriculture 2023, 13(5), 1095; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13051095 - 20 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1239
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to select the best green extraction technique to recover the bioactive compounds in Calabrian Bergamot waste (Pomace). Different experimental variables such as solvent, time, and temperature were tested and the main physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity and [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to select the best green extraction technique to recover the bioactive compounds in Calabrian Bergamot waste (Pomace). Different experimental variables such as solvent, time, and temperature were tested and the main physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity and constituents, such as total flavonoids, individual flavonoids, and limonoids (UHPLC-DAD) were analyzed. Later, the best extraction methodology was applied to characterize the individual portions that compose the bergamot pomace (albedo/pulp, seeds, and juice) of three different Calabrian cultivars: Fantastico, Femminello, and Castagnaro. Results of this study evidence that bergamot waste possesses a high antioxidant content that can be potentially used for further applications in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso & Poiteau))
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Review

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19 pages, 1703 KiB  
Review
The Phytochemical Synergistic Properties of Combination of Bergamot Polyphenolic Fraction and Cynara cardunculus Extract in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
by Jessica Maiuolo, Rocco Mollace, Francesca Bosco, Federica Scarano, Francesca Oppedisano, Saverio Nucera, Stefano Ruga, Lorenza Guarnieri, Roberta Macri, Irene Bava, Cristina Carresi, Micaela Gliozzi, Vincenzo Musolino, Antonio Cardamone, Anna Rita Coppoletta, Andrea Barillaro, Virginia Simari, Daniela Salvemini, Ernesto Palma and Vincenzo Mollace
Agriculture 2023, 13(2), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13020249 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2135
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered one of the leading causes of liver-related morbidity and mortality. NAFLD is a cluster of liver disorders that includes the accumulation of fat in the liver, insulin resistance, diffuse steatosis, lobular inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and, in [...] Read more.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered one of the leading causes of liver-related morbidity and mortality. NAFLD is a cluster of liver disorders that includes the accumulation of fat in the liver, insulin resistance, diffuse steatosis, lobular inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and, in the latter stages, liver cancer. Due to the complexity of the disease and the multifactorial basis for the development of liver dysfunction, there is currently no unique drug treatment for NAFLD and the pharmacological options are inconclusive. In recent years, natural products have been studied for their potential beneficial effect in both preventing and treating fatty liver and its consequences in both local and systemic effects related to NAFLD. In particular, bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF), which is rich in natural polyphenols, and Cynara cardunculus wild type (which contains large quantities of sesquiterpenes, caffeic acid derivatives and luteolin) have both been investigated in both pre-clinical settings and clinical studies showing their effect in counteracting NAFLD-related health issues. In the present review we summarize the experimental and clinical evidence on the effect of BPF and Cynara extract alone or in their combination product (Bergacyn®) in NAFLD. In particular, data reported show that both extracts may synergize in counteracting the pathophysiological basis of NAFLD by inhibiting lipid accumulation in liver cells, oxidative stress and inflammation subsequent to liver syeatosis and, in the latter stages, liver fibrosis and tissue degeneration. Moreover, due to its powerful vasoprotective effect, the combination of BPF and Cynara extract (Bergacyn®) leads to improved endothelial dysfunction and cardioprotective response in both animal models of NAFLD, in veterinary medicine and in humans. Thus, supplementation with BPF and Cynara cardunculus extract and their combination product (Bergacyn®) represent a novel and potentially useful approach in preventing and treating NAFLD-associated complications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso & Poiteau))
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